Vibrating eardrum, pulsating sensation, on and off.

Hi there,
about 5 or 6 weeks ago I started getting a vibrating feeling in my right ear. I thought it would pass but it soon got to the point of real annoyance, flaring up at night and lasting til the morning where I would get up and it would go away.
I got sick of it so I went to the doctor who checked my ears and said that it did look sore in there and perhaps I had an infection so they prescribed a low dose of amoxicillin.

I took about 1/3 of the dose and stopped because the symptoms went away. I didnt like the side effects (bad stomach) so I stopped taking it since the vibrating had stopped.

The vibrating came back though after a few days, and it became a constant sense of vibrating. I was back to the doctor and he prescribed a greater dose of amoxicillin and advised me to finish it, which I did this time. Great, no symptoms for the last week.

A couple of days ago however, the symptoms started again, and yet again, only at night. I went to bed with the annoying banging and awoke to it, only for it to go away during the day.

The doctor did tell me that it would take maybe 6 weeks to clear up, and since that time period has not yet passed, should I still be experiencing those vibrations? I think it has been about 4 weeks since I last went to the doctor. Things were going ok until it flared up again; is this to be expected?
Could this issue be an anxiety issue, since everytime I think 'hey, my eardrum hasnt bothered me at all recently',
it starts flaring up again?

[rose007]

Oh my gosh, I recently started having the same thing. But it starts up in the day too for me.  I know I am going through some real anxiety right now because of a court case with my ex .  It really seems to act up when my mind runs on the situation.  So this possibly could be an anxiety issue.  I am going to have my blood pressure checked thou, you should probably too.  I will check my pulse too when its not happening and check when it starts.

[rose007]

I recently found the source of my problem.  It was a new med I was taking that had caffeine like stimulants.  You have to avoid everything food, drink, meds with caffeine like stimulants.  Try also sticking your best fitting finger in your ear and holding it there as long as possible.

HERE'S SOME ADDED INFO I CAME ACROSS:
When the tiny hairs and nerve endings become damaged as a result of exposure to noise, tinnitus often results.

Tinnitus that is caused from sinus problems

Sinusitis and allergy sufferers also frequently suffer from tinnitus. This  "type" is caused from blocked Eustachian tubes, which results in a pressure buildup in the inner ear.

This condition is normally caused by prolonged taking of anti-histamines and antibiotics which can cause a thickening of the mucous in the inner ear.

Excess inner ear mucous would normally simply drain out through the Eustachian tubes but is prevented from doing so because it has become too thick to drain out of the very narrow Eustachian tubes.

Tinnitus from stress or traumatic life events

Another major cause of tinnitus is a long continued exposure to stress or traumatic events such as the death of a loved one.

Thyroid dysfunction is definitely associated with tinnitus. When the thyroid produces too much thyroid hormone, this is a condition known as Hyperthyroidism. These additional hormones have a direct effect on most bodily organs, including the heart which beats faster and harder under the influence of thyroid hormones.

Hyperthyroidism, by increasing cardiac output, can cause a pulsatile or rushing noise.

Vitamin A and/or B12 deficiency has been described as causing tinnitus.

Other tinnitus causes :

Another cause of tinnitus is presbycusis (hearing loss that occurs as people age).

Hearing loss is the single most consistent factor in people with tinnitus. As a rule the tinnitus will occur at the same frequencies as the hearing loss.

Tinnitus from prescription drugs and over the counter medications. Caffeine, stimulants that may cause the heart to beat faster.

Many prescription medications list tinnitus as a side effect. These include anti-malarials, anti-inflammatories, antibiotics, and antidepressants.

Even more possible tinnitus causes

Many types of head surgery, included dental surgery such as root canal treatments also play a major role in causing tinnitus. This is normally associated with cochlear damage as a result of the noises you are exposed to during the procedure.

Heavy metal poisoning from fillings in the teeth are also a very common cause of tinnitus. This generally occurs when one is replacing old fillings.

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder, myfacial, neck and back pain,headaches,jaw problems, bowels of course...

THE LIST can go on but either way a lot of conditions can cause bouts of tinnitus or you can end up with tinnitus 24/7.

[Wear/a/Jimmy]

You folks are way OFF.  

What the OP has is ideopathic stapedial muscle spasms.  I am sure you folks have experienced an eye brow twitch...?  It is the same thing, but the muschle conected to the stapedius is twitching...  nothing to go crazy over, and certainly nothing to take antibiotics for.

There is some theory that it can be an indication of MS, but just because you have the twitch does not mean you have MS..  It is much like saying if you have a caugh you have TB...   no that is not the case...  you have a cough, but we don't know for sure if you have TB.

Good luck, and stay away from quacks

AuD ccc-a

[onrystormy]

well I was only diagnosed a few months ago but I also have begining stages of barrets hihertle hernia severe acid reflux and had l-4 and l-5 shaved off becuase of pressure on the syatic (sciatic) nerve which now the scare tissue has attacched the same nerve with more dynamic results than before the back surgery any way I am only 43 yrs old and I'm falling apartI went off all nacotics and have been tylenoling it and extra sleepy time tea which seems to help some what to sleep. Well I have one thing to say to the people out there is this eagle syndrome takes the cake on top of all of that nobody really understands it or knows what it is I have found more out tonight then since they diagnosed me I thought i only had a bad ear infection But I've been having trouble swallowing for several yrs small stuff even Well to get to the point Sat. the esqrutiating pain started in my ear and throught I tryed talking to the doc after all to get the surgery scheduled but like so many of us now days my Job closed it's doors then to top it off My deductible went up 3 times fold .Tue. night I went to the Emergency after 2vicodine 10/325 to no relief at the emergency rm the gave me ashot of dilanta ? it didn't work then another of something else which only worked from 8PM to 115am to end this today which is thu. the sharp pain has subsided for now any way but still in pain The Doc asked me if I had psycological problems because I had stated If I would have been able to remove whatever this is even if it took putting a hole in my throught was very tempting Not That I would Or could but nobody seems to understand how much pain I was in the last few days and all looked at me like I was nuts so What do I do Now

[Scud422]

I might have the same problem in my left ear. After reading over the characteristics of tinnitus, I doubt that's what it is. The sound is as if someone is drumming on my ear drum. The noise is low and deep, the bouts of thumpings happen with several seconds or minutes between them and they have as much rhythm as someone tapping out morse code. Muscle spasms seems like it fits the best, the weird thing is that it happens so frequently with me, about 40% of the days in a year and those days are usually grouped together. 90% of the time it happens it's while I'm laying down (and thus, trying to go to sleep) and when it does happen I can stand or sit straight up to make the thumping go away, but once I lay down again it comes back.
This has been going on for probably more than 7 years.
Is this cause by muscle spasms? Is this curable? Is there a way to at least make the thumping stop temporarily?
Please help Jon and me, it's costing me sleep! I'm almost willing to puncture my ear drum to make this stop.

[justgathealed]

hei scud422,
i went thru the same problem that you have...thanx to God that it was only for one night.what you have is muscle spam for real,i visited an emergenc doc. and he did some series of physical test like checking my eardrum,closing my right ear with his hand and saying some word,just to make sure that my left ear is ok,and at last pressing two spots between my neck and shoulder and he asked me if i felt some pains which i acknowledged and that is the main cause of this motorised noise that denied my sleep for one night.the doc. prescribed ibuprofane and asked me to soft massage between my shoulder and the my ear,also i used warm water and a piece of cloth to keep my neck warm.i went home did all of that and the hum..hum noise was totally gone.i hope this would help

[jewels234]

I literally just had the thumping noise in my ear. Me being a google freak for everything because I hate doctors offices, I stumbled along this page luckily. It calmed me down a lot. I have a history of muscle spasms in my back, don't know if that has anything to deal with it. But, on the other hand... my shoulders are real tense dealing with a previous move and finding jobs in the area. The thumping only lasted about 20 seconds but it did shake me up a bit. Everyones stories have helped! If the condition worsens though should I visit a doctor?

[janieann]

Gads, nice to know I'm not losing my mind.  I have this too.   It happens mostly in my left ear, but occasionally in my right too, and it happens on and off throughout the day.   I'm going to try to make mental notes of how often starts up, but it seems to be it's dozens of times a day...at least in my left ear.  

[snadge]

I too have this...

for about 2 years it was just a very low hum in RIGHT EAR and just random (but at nights when lying down trying to sleep) - i put up with it as wasnt too bad but now its got much worse (louder and every night) and there is also a ringing (like pressure build up when blood rushes to your head - that sort of noise you hear when you pass out) but that ringing is VERY low but possibly because the hum is overpowering it, I can hear the ring when I put my head under water in the bath, i noticed once when i took ibuprofen the humming went away, so i took more but after few days it stopped working - anyway, I went to one Dr and he said "tinnitus , nothing can be done" , i went to another who said "its not tinnitus cos its in one ear" but was still at a loss and he referred me to ENT (which is 6 weeks time) - recently i got a cold, I never get colds and this one lasted over 10 days - during the outset of this cold the humming started to go over to left ear!! and louder!! - oh I was driven mad with it trying to sleep , anyway ive just been to ANOTHER Dr few days back, he had a look and said there was a little fluid on the left ear and that's probably from the 'cold' and so wont prescribe antibiotics ... he gave me 7 x 20mg Temazepam to help me sleep for a few nights - I took the tablets and guess what... the humming went away... before sleep and after sleep... ive ran out of Temazepam and guess what? the humming is back... strange?

Along with that I also have sinus problem where i can hear my breathing in my ears if i breath through my nose - more in the right one (mostly affected one)

Iam also on Methadone which could possibly be cause but never had it for 4 of the 6 years ive been on it so probs not!

thanks to the OP for posting those possible causes etc as I now think it may be allergy, Iam taking a LOT of herbal supplements for my Liver Disease and I think it may be related and the ringing is like a 'pressure build up' sort of noise - the humming must also be part of it, so Im gunna stop all my supplements which include Milk Thistle, Multi-Vitamins, Cod-Liver Oil, Dandelion , Artichoke and Herbal Teas (although most of those have just started recently) if any I think it be Milk Thistle as thats the ONLY one ive been constantly taking, Milk Thistle is more likely the culprit if it were to be any of those...

I will let you know how I get on

[janieann]

I think I'm going to try a daily regimen of decongestants just to see if that helps.   I've developed some sinus issues in my "old age," and coincidentally or not, that's when this vibrating started.

[snadge]

good idea... i think i might add that too, I also have 4 different types of anti-histamines from when i had itching on treatment (which also treat allergies) im wondering if its worth trying one of those... i think one step at a time... i will give a week to 10 days without supplements/herbal tea's and see if it stops or gets better... if not I may add decongestant like you say cos i can hear my breathing in ears when breathing through nose...so definite sinus issue

roll on 6 weeks time when i go to ENT

[godfunk]

Have a similar problem in my right ear. A near constant vibration of the--inner ear? eardrum?

Strangely, it only comes to me when it's relatively silent. It's almost as if the smallest external stimuli--like the refrigerator coming on--gives that area something to do, and the spasms stop. This has been going on for quite a few months, and it has been a particularly stressful time.

I'll let you know if I find anything that works...

[snadge]

go to GP asap as it will get worse.. i left it for 2 years as now its in both and much louder - DR is baffled and sending me to ENT to get scanned..

for my Ibuprofen worked, I would take a few about 45 mins before bed but that only lasted 3 or 4 nights then it stopped working - i then got sleeping tablets to help me sleep, wierdly they also stopped the noise... I took em and noise went away while i could feel sleepy in bed off the tablets the noise went?? and still gone next day.?? as soon as I ran out of tablets a week later it came back???

[atrayu]

I don't think that what is being described is Tinnitus. I have the same thing and the problem is less the sound and more the feeling of thumping pressure in the ear. The sound is very low because it is just the sound of the ear drum movement. I notice it if I stay up late usually after sleeping as soon as I notice it, it continues until I fall to sleep, by morning I forget about it usually. Tonight I was sitting here and realized that the feeling is not normal so I doubt that I will forget about it tommorrow since I took the time to read and comment on it. Does any one else here smoke? Maybe there is some correlation, also I am going through the break up of a 5 year relationship which has caused some stress.

[jensgrumpy]

I have been experiencing pressure and fullness in my right ear for a few months now excessively and whenever there are vibrating noises I get lightheaded - for example the refrigerator sends me over the edge - and when I use the hot running water in my apartment - I tend to then lean to the right causing my lower back and knees to hurt - it has become so stressful that I became anxiety ridden and am now on anxiety meds to at least calm my nerves while I try to figure out what is going on - It always seems to stem from my ear though and at times moving my head or lying down causes me to feel the loopiness as well or sense of off balance - I just want to feel normal again and cant seem to find help out there...I had constant construction going on next door for the past 7 months and that was horrible - and then I went shooting and with all that I think my symptoms have gotten worse and often wonder if that may be the culprit but again what can we do about this - it is altering life as I use to know it...

[bablen5]

Well, I have heart throbbing in my right ear almost all the time.  I went to the ENT and he said it was tinnitus.  Had an MRI to check head for tumors and had hearing test.  I have humming in my left ear and loud heartbeat in right ear.  They were more concerned about the humming and the heart throb is worse.  I can push on the vein in my neck and it will stop.  I am sitting here typing and it is loud.  Ugh, no one seems to know what to do.  I have checked blood pressure and it is mostly fine.  Seems worse in certain sitting positions and of course I hear it at night but it bothers me all the time especially exercising

[zen12345]

Hi all,
I just developed an occasional over vibration of ear drum syndrome in my left ear.
It happened so strangely. The doctor did a myringotomy on my right ear which was blocked for 3 weeks and immediately after, my left ear has this funny syndrome.

I had bad anxiety the last couple of weekss and I think this triggered my blocked right ear. But I couldnt understand why my left ear has such syndrome after my right ear surgery.

zen12345

[MJR615]

I, too, have the odd extra vibrations after a myringology of the opposite ear.
My ENT says it may stop on its own (Hope so!), but isn't sure of the cause.
I don't hear extra noises until a car or airplane or some other real noise happens. It's as if the car or plane were right next to me. My other ear hears the sound in the proper "distance". The vibration stops as soon as whatever makes the noise passes.
Certain radio and TV shows cause the vibrations too. All I have to do is turn my head slightly to quiet the sensation. When all is quiet on the outside, I hear "normally".
Hope all get relief some way or another!

[ask_tara818]

You are connecting with being clairaudience.  Try asking a yes and no questions.  Feel how the vibrations change and then you'll understand that you connected spiritual to your guide, angel...whatever you want to call it.  

You are receiving messages...it's clear...that's it and that's all.  

[Kimmiegirl0111]

I also have a "vibration" in my right ear.  It is mostly in the am hours and I'll notice it at odd times, such as, the shower running, toilet flushing, when the coffee pot is finishing brewing.  It bugs me so much.  I also sometimes feel like this year is plugged up but never seem to be able to "unplug".  I've tried antihistimines, nose sprays, ibuprofen, etc and nothing seems to help.  My next step of course is going to the Dr. but I love to hear what other people have to say as well.  

Thanks so much.

[postit992]

Rules


  Search Health & Fitness: Medical Issues <<
<>
>> Get a Widget for this title
Causes of ringing in the ears
Top Article All 2 Articles 2
of 2  Write now Article Tools by Nicole Evans M.D.

Ringing in the ears is also known as tinnitus. Individuals suffering from tinnitus may hear ringing, buzzing, hissing, chirping, or whistling sounds in one or both ears.  The sounds heard by people with tinnitus can be intermittent, continuous, or even pulsating. Unfortunately, this condition affects over 35 million people in the United States alone.

There are many causes of ringing in the ears.  Common causes of tinnitus include trauma to the external or internal ear from chronic loud noises, physical injury or toxic exposure. Prescription medicines and over-the-counter medications are also a very common cause of ear ringing. In addition, there are many different medical disease and disorders that can cause or worsen tinnitus symptoms.

Often the cause of tinnitus is multi-factorial. This can make the treatment of tinnitus extremely difficult. For example, an older person may begin taking Lipitor for high cholesterol and Prilosec for acid reflux. These two medications can cause tinnitus as an adverse effect. This individual also is has seasonal allergies causing frequent nasal congestion, another cause of tinnitus. In addition, the natural aging process can cause deterioration of the cochlea in the inner ear which can cause or contribute to the development of ringing ears. In order to successfully treat tinnitus, a physician will attempt to identify those causes of tinnitus in an individual that are reversible or treatable.

Some of the most common medications that cause ringing in the ears include: salicylates (especially aspirin), SSRIs (especially Zoloft and Celexa), Lipitor (also called Atorvastatin), Zyrtec (also called Cetirizine), Nexium (also called Esomeprazole), Prilosec (Omeprazole), Gentamycin (an aminoglycoside antibiotic), any of the antimalarial drugs that contain quinine, caffeine (common in otc headache medicines), and barbituates (anxiolytics).

Some of the common medical diseases and disorders than can cause ringing ears include: hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, fibromyalgia, hypertension, arteriosclerosis, diabetes, nasal congestion, ear infection, upper respiratory viral infection, anemia, Meniere’s disease, traumatic head and/or neck injury, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder, otosclerosis, tumors of the brain, nerves or glands, exposure to loud sounds, perforated ear drum, deterioration of the cochlea or other parts of the ear due to the natural aging process

There are many potential causes of ringing in the ears.  Many individuals will unnecessarily tolerate ear ringing for years before discussing their symptoms with their physician. However, there are many treatable cause of tinnitus, so any person who is experiencing persistent ringing or buzzing sounds in the ears should contact their health care provider.  Some cases of tinnitus will resolve with time, whereas cases of tinnitus that are more chronic may respond well to adjusting medications, adding a therapeutic medication for tinnitus, manipulating the sound environment, or specific neurological procedures that can be done for tinnitus.

[MPa1182]

Wow, this is more common than I thought.  I am 28 years old and this has been happening to me for probably the past 6 - 8 years.  When I am trying to sleep and I lay down on my right side, my left ear begins to vibrate like crazy...as someone else said, it's like someone literally starts playing the drums on my ear drum.  The strangest thing about it is that it alleviates when I adjust the position of my head, which involves not "covering" my ear (i.e. sleeping with my head only partially on the pillow.).  If I lay on my left side which is my "comfort" side (the easiest side for me to sleep on) I do not experience the drumming in my left or right ear.

I've started noticing it a bit more recently, and it is now becoming an annoyance and distraction when I try to sleep.  It makes me worry, which keeps me up longer, and sometimes I even worry that the drumming will drive me insane.  Just to compare with everyone else, here are some general facts about my health:

- I drink caffeine frequently
- I am on bystolic for hypertension
- I have severe acid reflux and am on prescription meds for it
- I am far too heavy for my age and height (240 lbs, 5'10 at 28 yrs)
- I suffered from ear infections frequently as a child

This seems to be an undiagnosed condition, since every person here seems to have stories about their doctors either dismissing this drumming sensation or being completely unable to help.  Obviously the amount of people suffering from this suggests otherwise...it must be either an as yet undiagnosed condition or a strange form of tinnitus.  The following things have helped me:

- Laying with partial head inclination
- Laying with head only partially on pillow, with ear "hanging off" or rather not being covered by pillow
- switching the side I sleep on (my left side or comfort side does not produce the drumming in the right ear)
- having a "distraction" noise in the room (my wife is the biggest obstacle as it tends to keep her up)
- laying on my back

I notice the drumming the most frequently when I am very nervous or stressed, or when I have a lot on my mind and thoughts just come jumbling in.  I am concerned about this condition and I feel like doctors are not hearing us out about it.

[OzoneHole]

Try putting a finger in your ear when the drumming starts.  That stops my ear from vibrating.  However, this is not a practical solution.  Other objects do not stop my vibration.  I tried a form-fitting earplug and that didn't work.

This is not necessarily something that will go away with time.  I have had this vibration since I was 21 and I am now almost 42.  Physicians are clueless and don't seem concerned.  When they start talking about 'tinnitus' I can tell that they don't know what the heck they are talking about.

I both hear and feel the vibration dep inside my ears.  The vibration is very arythmincal.  That is, it is not a regular 'drumbeat', but rather like a monkey going crazy on a drum.  As such, the effect is very much like a muscle spasm.  However, anti-spasm medications have had no efect.
This happens most often when I am laying down.  However, it has happened when I am standing up.
My right ear is usually affected, but the left is sometimes affected and rarely both ears vibrate at the same time.
At night, usually turning my head so that the effected ear is down will stop the vibration.  When this vibration happens during the day, no reorientation will stop it.
For the first fifteen or so years, at night any sound, such as the refrigerator turning on, would stop the vibration.  However, external sounds no longer stop it.
Humming stops the vibration as does talking.  The vibration returns within 10-20 seconds after I stop talking or humming.
I asked my wife to put her ear to mine while this was happening and she said that she could hear the vibration.

Maybe if a few of us got together we could interest a physician enough that he or she might publish a paper.

[Lomchevak]

Very good contributions, Ozone and MP. I, too, have been experiencing this ear drum muscle spasm for quite some time; a few years now, increasing in frequency. Yesterday I went to NASA to do training in the altitude chamber and had an opportunity to have the NASA doc there take a look, because I always have ear pain on rapid decent, and did in the chamber as well. While the doc saw no blood or fluid, I took the opportunity to ask him about this pounding in my left ear. He said it was a muscle spasm and suggested I see an ENT.

For me, it is mostly noticable at night. Lying with my left ear (the one that pounds) down on the pillow helps reduce it significantly. But something different for me is that noise will cause it to spasm more; so instead of the unrhythmic rhythm it flares up to spasm during the time the noise happens (such as my husband talking, or me talking), and will settle back down to its non-rhythmic frequency when the noise stops.

I ingest caffeine regularly.
I had frequent ear infections and tonsillitis and croup as a young child
My ears seem to produce a lot of wax and itch very frequently.
I have had occasional sinus flare-ups the past few years.
I have no other health problems and am not on any drugs.
I do take vitamin supplements.
I am presently overweight but my weight fluctuates.
I do not smoke and very rarely drink
I do fly and I am exposed to the engine vibrations, which even ANR headsets do not eliminate.
I am 48

[Dixon_b]

Hi - I have a similar problem, however I only get it when I am in reasonably quiet surroundings AND when I play music or sounds directly into the OPPOSITE ear...

I have the vibrations in my right ear and when playing music in the left ear with headphones (or using the phone on that ear) my right eardrum will vibrate "in time" with the sounds coming into the left ear. If I swap ears (playing into right), my left ear does not do this vibrating thing.

It's annoying when I use the phone in the wrong ear, but other that that, it's more of a curiousity. Anyone have any idea how my opposite ear can be vibrating?? Maybe I have a big empty space between my ears ;)

[JessK4283]

Never ever ever EVER only take a partial amount of antibiotics! Taking only a portion of what you're prescribed, or taking some here and there, etc, creates super bugs. Ever hear of MRSA? VRE? Both are nasty infections that are very difficult to kill. With MRSA, once you have it, you have it for life. It just depends on when it will flare up again. Not only that, but if it gets bad enough, it can kill you!

[Davisone]

I had this problem as well. My symptoms seemed to increase when smoking. So I quit and unfortunately the symptoms are just as bad around second hand smoke . I use to be manager at a bar and grill and my ears would ring and in my right ear would have a low end roar like a jet airplane was going by in the distance. I think it had to do with chronic Sinusitus. I was around smoke all the time as well as having clogged sinuses which created a monster problem. So.... I finally went to the ENT and he performed a myringotomy and a procedure that equaled out the pressure in the ears. He also got out the HUGE needle that everyone almost passes out when they see it and administered a steroid. Two days later..... Problem solved :) what a relief!!!!
Hope this helps!

[OldDog_NewTricks]

I have had this problem for a couple of years. I am 58. I discovered that the thumping ocurs only when my mouth is closed. At night, I have learned to go to sleep with my mouth slightly open, still breathing through my nose, and that works. These thumping comes and goes. It will be around for a week or so, then disappear for several months. Seems related to sinus congestion. I use a neti pot and that helps some.

[Chelby11]

Hello,
I've had a similar issue for almost 2 years now.  I was told by the Dr that it's Tinnitus but I was not convinced...
At first it was mostly a whooshing sound like my heart beat, and an occasional vibration. I wasn't taking any medication or supplements regularly.   However, for about 5 months now I've been taking a few meds for completely unrelated medical condition and I've been prone to getting sick and have had 2 ear infections recently.  I have found that if my sinuses are congested it's worse, and Afrin makes it worse (which may be caused by the increase in my blood pressure when I use Afrin when taking other meds, especially anti depressants).

All of this is pretty consistent with Tinnitus.  My symptoms have changed some but all are explainable by Tinnitus, which is apparently pretty common!  Watch your blood pressure, your sinuses, the fluid build up in your ears (take decongestants if needed), and see if it lessens in severity and frequency.

Good luck!

[Justbry]

I too have suffered for many years with a vibrating ear drum in my right ear.  At night when it is quiet in the room, if there is a noise like maybe my spouse snoring or somebody talking in another room.  If their voice is at a certain pitch, this will cause my ear to vibrate in sequence with them talking or snoring.  It will happen during the day as well, if I am in a closed in space and someone is talking, my ear will start to vibrate but only in response to someone talking, it will not vibrate on it's own.

I do not take any medications, have never had any serious illnesses, am not overweight and am only 44 yrs old.

Any suggestions?

[EmJay1107]

I'm really amazed I found this page. I'm a 25 year old female and I've had this "drumming" mostly in my left ear for years, on-and-off. It's audible, like a dull drumming sound, and can feel it like a flutter within my ear. It just started up again yesterday evening while laying down, and as I type this right now (in the morning) it's doing it. I find that it gets much worse when my head is turned to the side. Information about myself, much like most of us so it seems...

+ Frequent ear infections as a child, mostly before age 5.
+ I drink at least 12 ounces of black coffee daily.
+ Tonsillitis frequently as a child, mostly before age 16, and I still have my tonsils.
+ Scarlet fever 3 times before age 10.
+ Sinus infections at least once every other year since I was a child.
+ I fly/travel a lot.

However, unlike most of us on this forum I am not overweight. I exercise frequently and I also don't travel via plane as often as I used to as a child or in college.

I've never been to a doctor about this. Does anyone have any tips on what to say to a doctor if/when I visit one?

[peisley]

I drink tea a lot, too.  Not decaf.  Some immediate relief can be found by simply opening your mouth and letting the jaw drop comfortably.  Concentrate on letting the jaw relax.  Within a very short time, the vibration ends.  This isn't a cure, but offers some relief that can last a while.  

[haribo91]

hi im jeanette and im experiancing drumming noise in my right ear and head i find this very disturbing and have trouble sleeping at night it is constanly there and find my lifestyle a struggle iv put no earwax drops in but find this doesnt help iv also had antibiotics and still nothing i am waiting to see my specialist again soon as i had balancing test done the nurse said i av got a bit of glue ear i asked wether that could be the cause of it and she said no i am so desparate for advice as no one seems to understand what im going through as everything is a struggle any advice would be appreciated

[ebyjohn632]

I am so glad I found this site. I had a sinus blockage a year ago and ever since that I have been hearing this constant high pitch sound in my left ear. I have started feeling vibrations in my right ear though the reasons might be unrelated. I have been on anti histamines for about a year. I have a tendency to vomit just after eating something, though this symptom has considerably reduced in the last few months. I think I might be having the same illness most of you guys here have.

[ebyjohn632]

I am so glad I found this site. I had a sinus blockage a year ago and ever since that I have been hearing this constant high pitch sound in my left ear. I have started feeling vibrations in my right ear though the reasons might be unrelated. I have been on anti histamines for about a year. I have a tendency to vomit just after eating something, though this symptom has considerably reduced in the last few months. I think I might be having the same illness most of you guys here have.

[brandy796]

I have this exact issue as well, in my left ear. It's like a constant throbbing and/or that I can hear my heart beat. I can't concentrate at work when it is too quiet (what people with for, huh?) and hardly ever get a nights rest. This has been happening for almost a year now.

I drink no caffeine, take no prescriptions meds and occasion tylenol. I exercise regularly. I saw a GP who decide I had fluid on my ear, round of antibotics later, I had no relief. The GP then proceed with a shot of steriods, no relief. I then decided to see an ENT, went through the MRI process of checking for tumors, etc. He found nothing. I have not been back to this particular ENT as he offered me an antidepressant (HELLO-ITS MY EAR-IM QUITE HAPPY). Now i have read here that antidepressants could possibly cause this issue.

I'm open to any advice and/or suggestions any has. Nothing seems to work and I'm starting to feel totally defeated.

[Emmy64]

Wow, that's exactly why I just came on Google, to see what this weird noise was in the ear opposite to the one I was holding the phone to. My ear drum made a low bubbling kind of sound but only when the recorded voice was speaking. It seemed to resonate/vibrate with each word and stop when the voice stopped. It was really annoying actually! Wish I knew what was up with it!

[jonnydoe802]

Drum drum drum in your left ear that is really annoying?  Yeah, it goes away.  If you're scared, go to the ENT.  Relax, it's not a stroke, it's not a heart attack, it doesn't mean you're going to die.  It means you should give it a couple weeks, and get a lot of rest.  As stated above, it's caused by pressure, and your body trying to regulate that pressure.  You may have had some sinus issues lately, or getting over a cold.  SOMETHING LIKE THIS IS NORMAL.  GO TO BED, and find peace in knowing everyone gets this.  What is not normal is checking google for every little thing, to see if you are normal.  

[jonnydoe802]

Something else that solves this is to simply clean all the wax out of your ears.  If you do a good job, you have an instant cure.  Simple yes, effective YOU BET

[LittleDrummerBoy]

The arhythmic, morse code-like drumming in my right ear became noticeable to me several weeks ago.  It comes and goes, and interestingly when I don't "think about it" the drumming seems to wane, but not always.  This winter season I've experienced two bad sinus/chest colds that took months to resolve (and I still have some residual mucous), the latter which I think may explain my ear-drumming problem.

I'm overweight, take a daily prescribed regimen of baby aspirin, multi-vitamin, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin D, and 6mg warfarin. I'm a lymphoma cancer survivor (2 years beyond chemo), don't smoke, drink alcohol only occasionally in moderation and even less caffeine, exercise somewhat irregularly, had lots of ear aches as a child associated with bronchitis but because I'm 61 now I don't think my childhood ear aches have anything to do with it.  I've noticed some hearing loss in my left ear (not the drumming ear) for several years now that I assume has to do with getting older.  I never use my left ear for telephone calls, even previous to my perceived hearing loss, maybe because I'm right handed and it seemed natural to use my right ear?

I was thinking about making an appointment with my primary care physician (Internal Medicine) to report this "new issue."  But after reading all the responses posted here, I think I might try rest and relaxation, including self-dialog to "tell my ear to stop drumming", which works for back aches I find.  So, my guess is that my drummer's ear is partly a plugged Eustacian tube from my winter's colds and possibly compounded by some psychosomatic issue that can be addressed by relaxation and meditation (rather than medication).  Hey, when you reach 61 you can ramble on a bit, right?  Thanks for listening :)

[graceyjane]

I went to my Dr for a vibrating in my ear and it is an ear infection.  I have fluid and air built up in my Eustachian tube and my ear drum is red and bulging. The noise you are hearing is the air trapped in there and the fluid pressing against the ear drum.  Best to get an antibiotic for this.  Which is what my Dr prescribed for me.  

[nescient]

I have been having this same problem for the past month, and it has started to get very annoying. The sound from my ear is not a ringing, but the thumping people have been talking about.
It has been getting louder, but I've noticed that it is a very similar sensation to 'popping your ears' (which you can do by holding your nose and trying to breath out it).
It is a much quicker sound though that repeats for a few beats or sometimes can last as long as a minute.
Its like my ear drums equilibrium is fluctuating, in a very similar way to what it sounds like when you 'pop' a Snapple (ie widemouthed bottle w/ metal lid) cap really quickly.

I have never had ear problems in the past
I have experienced pollen allergies, which are just beginning now, and I also am a fairly heavy smoker, both which have definitely caused some sinus buildup
I also have a minor TMJ disorder on the right side of my jaw, which is the ear that I have been experiencing the noise in... this seems like a correlation to me
I have also been pretty stressed with school and the recent passing of a loved one.
The noise does not seem to be any more prevalent while lying down
I also drink a lot of coffee

I think it has something to do with stress, the TMJ acted up (4 or 5 years ago) as a result of grinding my teeth at night and I have been noticing a crap ton of tension in my jaw lately. I am going to trrrrryyy to cut back the caffeine intake and maby see if some decongegstents help. Ive fished around in there with a q-tip as much as I was comfortable with and while there wasnnt a lot of wax it did seem rather damp.

glad to hear that its mucus or a muscle spasm though... i thought i might finally be losing my mind, or perhaps gaining my super powers

[Lauradoc80]

I also have the problem of vibrating in my right ear. It first started a wee ago and happens aporox every 2 d night. It has happens on 2 occassions in the day, lasting for around 3 hours each time.
I went to the doctor yesterday who checked my ear and said he can see no reason for it as I have no wax or infection. He did say I could have  an inner ear infection which he would not be able to see. He prescribed amoxicillin to see if it helps and if not I have to go back in 3 weeks.
This is driving me mad as I am also 23 weeks pregnant and am terrified this isn't going to go away!!
Can anyone help??

[neenerz]

This is the first time I've found something on the 'net that actually confirms other people get this. I have had this FOR SEVERAL YEARS!  And, no Doc, it's not my heartbeat. Lately it has been happening during the day on rare occasions, mostly at night and only in my right ear. I thought it was my husband's CPap machine, but it happens when he isn't using it as well. I liken it to a teeny Harley idling in my head.

PHew, so glad I'm not alone!

[lj77]

Interesting to read all of your comments! I too have this drumming in my ear, generally when my left ear is on a pillow or tilted.  Strange. Same as someone else mentioned too with the phone - when it is on right ear, left ear spasms.

I am going to an ENT in just over a week. I have two small children and wooden floors so the noise is constant in our house which doesnt help at all!!

Can glue ear cause these spasms I wonder? I often feel like my ear is full, so I am wondering if i have a long standing case of glue ear perhaps.

Really hope there is some kind of treatment!

[lj77]

Interesting to read all of your comments! I too have this drumming in my ear, generally when my left ear is on a pillow or tilted.  Strange. Same as someone else mentioned too with the phone - when it is on right ear, left ear spasms.

I am going to an ENT in just over a week. I have two small children and wooden floors so the noise is constant in our house which doesnt help at all!!

Can glue ear cause these spasms I wonder? I often feel like my ear is full, so I am wondering if i have a long standing case of glue ear perhaps.

Really hope there is some kind of treatment!

[lilredbubblz]

after reading over almost all the comments, i'm not quite sure what to make of it.  i've been dealing with this same kind of "noise" in my right ear...'cept mine sounds more like a ringing washung machine.  when i tilt my head to the left or forward, the noise is crazily insane.  i've been dealing with it since i was 10 years old and i'm 25 now.  it's to a point that i can sometimes block out the noise.

[ColsonD]

Well my ears just started to vibrate and I have post concussion syndrome can those two things be linked or should I go get it checked?

[Kellywck]

I have had ringing and vibrating in my ears for years...sometimes to the point that I think I will go mad.  I also started losing my hearing and had to have "stapes" also called stapedotomy surgery in both ears (one ear twice).  the ear that I had the surgery in twice has started to really act up.  Sometimes (mostly at night) voices and sounds will vibrate in my ears.  It has made listing to my kids or watcing TV drive me nuts.  I am going to try allergy meds and see if that helps (maybe allergies are causing congestion).  As for the tinnitus, it is worse with caffiene, sugar and alcohol.  The surgeries have helped the tinnitus and restored my hearing, but only for a few years.  I may need it a 4th surgery.

[lisas460]

I too have vibrations in my right ear so bad at times I don't know how to settle myself down. I've had ear infections  sinus problems and surgeries since I was a kid and I am now 38. Funny thing is I've had this drumming for years and was always told it's tinnutitis.  I keep saying it's like hard vibrations or a pounding in your ear all the time. My ENT always blows this off. I am sick of complaining all the time and never getting any relief from the doctors. Seems nothing I try works on this. I am glad I'm not the only one experiencing this and glad there are others like me. Searching for an answer.

[Haanley07]

I am experiencing this also so mentioned it to a co-worker.  She said her sister had same problem and it was due to the black mold in her home.  When she moved out of the house it all cleared.  I am hoping it is not that because I do not want to have to move.

[snadge]

I have been to ENT and had MRI scan, nothing wrong with inner ear, the ONLY TIME it went away was when i cleared my hep-c virus when on treatment, it came back soon as i relapsed (virus come back) ive studied and studied on this subject and iam at the conclusion that mine is caused from my immune system constantly on attack mode trying to fight off the virus in my blood stream - ive read somewhere that its possible that its causing tinnitus - Ive also been eating sugary foods at night and slipping into diabetes and it could be related to that.. Iam also on Methadone.. but like I say for 8 months I was free of it, when i cleared the hep-c virus on treatment, but when i stopped the drugs i relapsed...few weeks later the tinnitus was back...

get yer blood tested for everything!  over active immune system for me cos ive got hep-c

[anufan]

Quite amazing the number of people who have the same thing that i have been experiencing for so many years occasionaly, but which doctors that i've been to did'nt seemed to be too concerned about...Apart from the similarities  we "patients" seem to share, such as being prone to sinus infections and time of occurance of the symptom (while laying down), I WOULD LIKE TO  ASK IF OTHERS EXPERIENCE THIS ONLY WHEN THE AIR TEMPRATURE IS COLD WHERE YOU ARE SLEEPING OR IF THERE IS A COLD BREEZE? MINE STOPS IF I COVER MY HEAD INCLUDING THE EARS WITH SOMETHIN LIKE A SCARF OR BEDSHEET. ALSO, I USE MY AYUVEDIC NASAL DROP OIL WHENEVER I FEEL SINUSES ARE STARTING TO FLARE UP AND THAT ALMOST ALWAYS BRINGS THINGS UNDER CONTROL.

[Nickle3]

Just a little while ago, I had a muscle spasm in my right ear that lasted nearly a minute, sounding like I was in a vibrating wind tunnel.  It happened right as I bent down to pick something up from the floor.  I immediately texted a friend who is a Hearing Specialist.  She mentioned that it could be my blood pressure, or possibly something with my sinuses.  I just recently saw the dr. and was told that my bp is good. I will be going to have him look into the sinus issue.  

[maryb1000]

To all:
I had a vibrating eardrum for three days. Doctor gave a shot of cortisone and a Prescription for Nasonex yesterday. The cortisone started to woek in 3 hrs and the vibrating eardrum stopped this morning completely. The Dr. said it was sinus related and the pressure within the eardrum was causing the vbibration.

Good luck

[dave50Ooooo]

I started to get this drumming in my ear when I listened to one headphone, like it was said in an earlier post, it happened in the opposite ear... Now I get it just sitting doing nothing, some
times I get it laying on an ear or using the phone. I know it's annoying and I don't know what it is. But some things I can rule out, I'm not a big caffeine drinker, one coffee a day no tea. I'm not over weight and never have been. And I am not on medication. So I would suggest these things may aggravate it for other people, but probably are not a root cause. I would like to know what is causing it and a cure, it is very annoying! But I have had this for a good 10 years now and I still feel fit and healthy with good hearing, so I doubt it's life threatening. I shall keep searching for an answer. Good luck everyone with the same thing.

[ryan1138]

I've had these vibrations for almost 4 months.  I'm 26.  It started after a visit to the beach where I smacked my head on the top of my car.  Rhytmic drumbeat in my ear, worse at night, and vibrations that I really couldn't tell where they were coming from (inside me? my head? my heart?).  My doctor said possibly MS or something neurological, so he scheduled an MRI of the head...unremarkable.  Nothing he could see could cause it.  He gave me antibiotics and started me on allergy medicine to see if that worked.  One night the vibrations were so bad I couldn't sleep.  My back was starting to get a little  I pulled my arms forward and crossed them and then yanked them back as fast as I could and I heard a *crack!* and a sipper sound in my upper spine/neck.  The vibrating immediately stopped.  I told my doctor this and they did another MRI of my cervical neck.  Loss of cervical lordosis (natural curve).  When I lift heavy objects the vibrating comes back a little.  When my neck is in an odd position (sleeping at night on my very, very firm pillow does this) it gets worse.

I visited a chiropractor who took xrays of my entire spine, which from my computer work over the years, my shoulder bag, my guitar, and long road trips had put it in a terrible shape.  Curves were all crooked and my neck spinal disks were starting to callous!  I've started doing adjustments (2 times so far) regularly and although I can still feel them if I lift heavy objects or sleep in a very bizarre position, they are about 10% of what they used to be...when I can even notice them.  I strongly encourage you to see a chiropractor for even a couple of adjustments.  At the minimum, most chiropractors will do xrays and a review of their findings with you for under 20 bucks (some free) and most will accept the major insurance carriers.  It would be worth it to get your neck and spine checked out as it controls movement in your body (including your head).

[nitecat]

Hi Jeanette, having read your comment I can empathize with you, it is distressing when people develop symptoms that modern medicine doesnt understand, we are mere mortals and yet we revere physicians and treat them as saviors, they are only human and do not have all the  answers, I too suffer from several anxiety related problems including vestibular dysfunctions, my own personal belief is that they origanate in the brain and manfest themselves into physical conditions that are baffling and  frustrating to any body, my belief is that the mind controls the body and if the phsyche of a an individual is damaged in any way this can lead to a dysfunctional body, Im not saying its all in your head but when you think about it it is, doctors are fine when they are presented with symptons they can regognize, it is said that we only use one third of the brain so god knows what is going on in the other two thirds, ive posted to you because you sound very anxious and hurt, this will only aggrevate any underlying condition of Im sure you are aware, you are not alone, you belong to a huge amount of people that suffer from yet to be understood conditions and ailments, I can only offer words of comfort and belief that you yourself can heal, yourself,  with faith that you are strong and very worthwhile and if you have a cross to bear you are far from alone, and those that enjoy good health are unaware of there wealth, I wish you well and hope for your future, may your god be with you, Martin

[IneedHelpNotaScreenName]

hey everyone ive been having the problem for about 9 months now. my left ear vibrates when i lay down. i cant use the phone because everything seems high pitched. the past week ive been hearing constant ringing in my head. i been to a few doctors who have gave me dumb solutions that anyone oculd figure out on there own. ill list what drs have done, what is helping and what ive tried

first off what is helping. what helps me is if i keep my windows open with a fan in it, when fresh air comes in it breaks up any congestion and the pain goes away, the longer im outside the better it helps it. cold weather makes things WORSE. when the temperature outside is about 70 degrees or lower is when this pain hurts all day, in the hot summer the pain was barely noticeable until i went to bed.

sleeping, sleeping makes everything congested, when i move i hear a ocean in my head drift left to right whatever side i lay in. when i wake up it takes about a hour to break up all the congestion in my nasal area

common problems or symptoms that i have that others have on here, i drink alot of coca cola so i have alot of caffiene or i drink fruit punch or juices. i cant tell the difference with that so far. i dont smoke. i also have bad anxiety and body aches. i had back problems long ago but hasnt bothered me lately. sometimes my knees hurt. i take oxycodone pain pills 15mg and sometimes xanax. if anyone else here takes any of that stuff then please list it so we can find what we all have in common that may be causing this. oh i also have exzema (eczema) in my ear where my ears get very dry and flake up every 3 days i have to put a solution in my ears to clear all the flakes out and clean them out good but i tried using and not using the stuff and makes no difference with the thumpin ringing swooshing pains.

medications, the first dr gave me antibiotics for the first few months which suprisingly were helping but i get sick from them. ciproflaxin seems to make it go away for a few days then it comes back. i went to a ent dr and he said it isnt a infection, he said its congestion, he gave me nasal spray and claritan i alraedy had claritan. neither worked. the nasal spray breaks up the morning congestion, the claritan actually feels like it makes things worse. warm weather worked better then any of his theorys. when i told him nasal spray and claritan isnt going to work he rushed me out of his office and said come back in a month, i cancelled with him and am looking for a new ent. one that will listen to what im saying and not rush me out because hes out of time and running late..

there is a tube that goes from your nose to ear, im pretty sure mine is completely blocked and the air isnt circulating good through that causing this pressure and pain. how do i unclog it i have no clue. when i hold my breath and blow my right here pops but my left wont at all.

as far as tinnitus i dont think anyone on here has that, its really rare that the endings get shaved off. although tinnitus sounds similar its still very different in alot of ways.

if anyone cares to email me its hippahoppa26 at yahoo *******

im really worried about winter, the beginning of this year when it was really cold was when my pain was the worst. im going to get another dose of ciproflaxin and see if it helps again. also i have no signs of leakage or anything like that in my ear, and when i clean them with qtips  they seem normal.

[Mickeyi]

Hi.

I'm having the same problem with the vibration sound in my left ear now for 10 days (on going) it's driving me crackers at the moment some say online it's the ascension process which are changes through our own physical dimensions and the dimensions around us cause of manipulated and lied to about the things around us.  They say it can also be cause of these many things such as seperation from our true families and our own true self for their power and control which are traumatic events which I actually have had in my life from beaten and kicked in all my life for puberty and normal illness in my childhood and teenage days 20 years ago when it's what we all go through with puberty and normal illnesses they treat it as a crime and turn it into a crime against our will for more beat and kick in at us victims that may have damaged me quite well.  Another thing they say it could be online is implants from our own government that some of them type of people are morons that just chip anyone to put crimes on them for normal things we go through in our childhood days and teenage days and then get us into trouble and attacked for it and other bad things at us along the way that's why they say everyone hates cops it's why I hate them and those type of services cause they do that to all of us and everyone knows it they just pretend it's cause of something else when not which is traumatic events for us when we are young and can't defend our selfs against people that do that to us it happens to everyone.

I'm gonna give my vibration sound a few more days to see if it stops I think surely it can't be changes in our own dimensions and dimensions around us not for this long of 10 days in a row otherwise I'll end up doing something silly to my self that I might regret even worse inside my self.

Anyone think I should take something for it if so what? I look forward to hearing from any of you.  My Email Address is m.***@**** you can reply there if you want to this question.  Thank you.  

[raman69]

What is the name of the  AYUVEDIC NASAL DROP OIL you are using?

I have had the ringing for over 25 years and am 42 now. I suffer from sinusitis and was a smoker for 23 years. I have quit now, while lot of things have improved this one is still to be seen. Constant buzzing in the right ear.

One friend of mine had it for some time and it has gone away for him. So some hope is there.

[IneedHelpNotaScreenName]

hey everyone i advise if u didnt read my post 2 posts up above to read it.

ive been dealing with my issue since january 2011. ive been to a few doctors and ent doctors. ive gatherd tons and tons of info from each dr. there are many many things that cause the problem we are having so we have to narrow it down.

=======SOLUTIONS FOR EVERYONE BELOW=============
these are all my solutions you should try that i gathered from online and multiple doctors that may help you get some relief or fix your problem

today i learned something valuable from the ent. they looked at my teeth and said i grind my teeth in my sleep which i never knew, they said thats inflaming the bone in my jaw under my ear making my ear hurt. solution is to get a mouth guard from a sporting store and wear it to sleep and stop eating chewy food like steak or taffy. also go to a dentist to get a custom fitted one if the regular one dont work.

the other things i learned that can help some of you is congestion or sinuses will block your tube going from nose to ear. your inner nose kind of flares up and blocks airflow causing ear to hurt. use nasonex spray or claritan allergy pills or decongestion pills.

you can have a ear infection, which youll need antibiotics form the dr. a ent doctor will tell you if you have a ear infection right away, and you can take a hearing test

theres a nerve that goes down your throat, they check it with a microscope the nerve can cause damage. i just had this done today although it sounds scary they numb your throat and its real fast it wasnt bad. i have severe anxiety and i did ok through it, also if you have anxiety that carries over to you sleep which can cause u to grind your teeth in sleep

smoking or drinking alot of caffiene can cause it, but not common, try giving it up for a week anyways if possible try giving it up for a month just to be sure

ear ringing may be tinnitus but thats not real common although it sounds like the symptoms it prob isnt. go to walgreens they have ear drop solution for earaches and ear ringing, if this solution works then it might be tinnitus.

go to a ENT doctor, its ear nose throat doctor. if one rushes you out of the office go to another, i had to go to a few and i could tell the difference who just wanted money and who was trying to help me.

for some reason fresh air helps me, i recommend opening a few windows

oh also ibprofin (i know i spelled it wrong most likely lol) will help the swelling go down, alot of people above said ibprofin helped them, the ent told me ibprofin takes the swelling down in the jaw from grinding teeth.

and one last thing you can also get tubes put in your ear but that should be the last solution, or usually around first solution for babys its not to common for adults to need tubes. what this does it let the air flow correctly in your ear since the passage is blocked

you can even close your nose with your fingertips and blow to pop your ears, a few people said they did that and a little chunk of something came out of there ear and unclogged it. a doctor can also clean your ear if its gunked up they blow this air in there with water and kind of wash it out and remove all that yucky buildup. my friend and father had this done and u wouldnt believe the amount of gunk that came out they said! that usually doesnt cause the ear thumping pain but it may be your problem



i hope these solutions help you out, if it does please email me at hippahoppa26 on yahoo and let me know, im trying to learn as much as possible to see whats the best solution that i listed so i can continue to help others. or if u have any questions i will try to help

[Luna2Day]

Frequently doctors will prescribe antidepressants, in particular, Nortriptyline for relief of migraine headaches and related issues.  This medication can be very helpful for certain neurotransmitter type problems.

[snadge]

I done lots of research on the subject after ENT could not resolve this.. there are studies that say if you have a viral infection or disease (like me) then this can cause tinnitus as your bodys immune system is constantly in 'attack mode' trying to fight of disease/virus... those (like me) who are fighting a losing battle means theyre bodys are constantly in this state... after a while it can cause many problems in the body and tinnitus is one of them, something to do with high amounts of 'attacking' cells remaining in blood stream for very long periods (years) - I have Hepatitis C of about 11 years.. this humming appeared 3-4 years ago - I had treatment for Hepatitis C and when I cleared the virus from my system the tinnitus ended about 5 weeks later... I then finished the 12 months treatment and about 2 months later the tinnitus came back, i said to my girlfriend that i think I have relapsed (re-infection from liver that was not fully cleared of virus) because the tinnitus is back...and right enough i got tested 4 weeks later and it was back with a vengance...

so get tested for disease/viral infection as this is another cause

I think mine is causing inflammation some how because i can feel something and when i breath through nose I can hear my breathing really loudly in that ear like you can when you have a cold...

[99_pcter]

Nice analogy -- teeny harley.  I like that.  First time I heard this pulsating sound I was awake in bed at 2 or 3 am and thought it was the mill operating in the distance.  It sounded like a motor fast idling, then slowing, fast idling then slowing, etc.  Still sounds that way to me and happens just about every night -- right ear only.  When I lay on my right side, it goes away -- so I lay on my right side.  I hear it occasionally during the day, but usually only when I first wake up and am sitting having my coffee -- like right now.  

What also works for me is:  opening my mouth makes the noise disappear for a while, but I eventually close my mouth;  moving my jaw back and forth makes it go away when it occurs while I'm sitting up -- so I move my jaw back and forth.  By the way, when I do that, I hear a clicking/tiny popping sound in my right ear -- the same ear that th-h-r-r-r-rums!  Maybe a relationship there?

This has only been going on for about two months with me.  Though I've had tinnitus for years.  I'm 60, drink coffee, good health, average weight, exercise.  I did have a bout with GERT a couple years ago, but have that pretty well in check now.  I surf in pretty cold water so I wonder whether it could be related to something called "surfer's ear" where the cold water causes the inner ear to grow more bone thus blocking the ear canal -- but I don't have ear-aches which is typical.  Haven't discussed with my Dr. or an ENT.

For me it's an annoyance, but not a nuisance.  I've found little things that make it disappear temporarily (lying on R side, opening mouth, moving jaw back and forth).  But it would be neat to have it gone for good so I may see an ENT at some point and will definitely check in here for news from time to time.  I think the main thing is to keep it in perspective -- if all that's wrong is you hear a thrumming/pulsating/drumming in one ear, things could be a whole lot worse, right?  So be happy, consider it -- the thrumming -- a sign that you're still alive and well!  By the way, the mill in the distance doesn't operate at night.

[99_pcter]

Nice analogy -- teeny harley.  I like that.  First time I heard this pulsating sound I was awake in bed at 2 or 3 am and thought it was the mill operating in the distance.  It sounded like a motor fast idling, then slowing, fast idling then slowing, etc.  Still sounds that way to me and happens just about every night -- right ear only.  When I lay on my right side, it goes away -- so I lay on my right side.  I hear it occasionally during the day, but usually only when I first wake up and am sitting having my coffee -- like right now.  

What also works for me is:  opening my mouth makes the noise disappear for a while, but I eventually close my mouth;  moving my jaw back and forth makes it go away when it occurs while I'm sitting up -- so I move my jaw back and forth.  By the way, when I do that, I hear a clicking/tiny popping sound in my right ear -- the same ear that th-h-r-r-r-rums!  Maybe a relationship there?

This has only been going on for about two months with me.  Though I've had tinnitus for years.  I'm 60, drink coffee, good health, average weight, exercise.  I did have a bout with GERT a couple years ago, but have that pretty well in check now.  I surf in pretty cold water so I wonder whether it could be related to something called "surfer's ear" where the cold water causes the inner ear to grow more bone thus blocking the ear canal -- but I don't have ear-aches which is typical.  Haven't discussed with my Dr. or an ENT.

For me it's an annoyance, but not a nuisance.  I've found little things that make it disappear temporarily (lying on R side, opening mouth, moving jaw back and forth).  But it would be neat to have it gone for good so I may see an ENT at some point and will definitely check in here for news from time to time.  I think the main thing is to keep it in perspective -- if all that's wrong is you hear a thrumming/pulsating/drumming in one ear, things could be a whole lot worse, right?  So be happy, consider it -- the thrumming -- a sign that you're still alive and well!  By the way, the mill in the distance doesn't operate at night.

[99_pcter]

So have your trips to the chiropractor fixed the ear problem?

[lorianna]

I have Meneir's Disease and the ear pressure, noises and fullness are some of the symptoms I experience.  Only recently was I diagnosed by an ENT.   They did tests that concluded I have this ear disease. I experienced slilght vertigo for years then the other symptoms came into play.

[errie77]

my problem started when my ears became intolerably itchy, then i was hearing everything like of i was inside a box(muffled sounds) eventually it became painful. i visited a GP twice in 1 week and both times he flushed them with water and prescribed antibiotics on the 2nd visit. still no relief and the pain intensifying, i went to an ENT doc who said there was a hole in the eardrum coupled with a nasty infection. as i was breastfeeding a baby he gave me Augmentin and eardrops. i got an ease with the pain but still couldn't hear clearly...and the itching persisted. on my second visit, 1 wk later, he said the hole seemed to have healed itself and the infection cleared, but i still couldn't hear well and was itchy. he gave an expectorant to clear any residual debris etc.....3 days later i'm experiencing an intense piercing pain, itching and throbbing in the ear, still can't hear clearly.
my major concern is that i only hear with one ear, the other was totally gone since about 25 years ago......i am so scared to be left with no hearing at all......not sure what to do now, since from my readings people go on with this sort of thing for years.....i can't handle this amount of pain for long...maybe i'll go back to the ENT doc.....

[Brobear3]

Well i've been having the samw problem for years i've went through sudden hearing loss severe sore throat yrs ago still have hearing loss only when I sleep on my left. Left side of nostral rarely gets stuffed up but can barely breath throught it also have had tubes put in made my loose my hearing again for a couple of weeks soooo fukn annoying not a good feeling to loose hearing but had those put in mar 2011 still n abd problems still come back hav mild headaches its tmj theres so many different levels to it havein my hearing go out instantly goin from hoapital to hospital ers ents hearing test to have them giv u pain pills not understand and say it's nothing that they can do or suggest a bite splint which may work or make it worst well research it yourself I can tell you how it really works eye,ear,nose,and throat its all connected im not a doctor but I have been goin through this for years feel free to im me or how ever this site go but ppl I can tell you the pressure that can build up from your sinus can cause problems I wouldnt wish this of anyone but research that  and inbox me let me know maybe we could find out together mytechhelp.***@****

[MyEarIsDepressed]

Its comforting to  know I'm not the only one. I went to several  doctors  and they all had different  answers from mostly  tinnitis to infection and yes I too was offered an anti depressant... The Dr seemed to think that my lack of sleep was do to depression... Um no moron its do to the noise in my ear!  I finally gave up on it and on a routine visit to my acupuncturist/ chiropractor he said and I quote "it's not tinnitis...(pause smile) its a spasm in your ear caused by stress, over production of ear wax, dehydration, and last but not least no reason at all" I swear I wanted to hug the Guy he said muscle relaxants may work but to try putting a warm dry cloth over ear and drinking water he said he had the same problem and noone could tell him what it was until he talked to a doctor from Harvard who had done a study on this issue I wish I knew what his name was.  Anyway things that helped were acupuncture which I go to every 3 months for my migraines and the drinking water relieves it until I can fall asleep but it'll be there when I wake up... And the warm compress helped too.  Don't let anyone tell you you're crazy, its NOT TINNITIS!!!! well in most cases.  ツ hope this helps... Oh yeah laying on my back sometimes makes it stop
I'm 28 I smoke, drink coffee once every other day, I occasionally take imitrex for migraines, I'm not overweight but getting there, and I hate water.

[MyEarIsDepressed]

Loser noone in here is freaking out go post your non helpful  comments  somewhere  else

[MyEarIsDepressed]

Sorry that was to johnnydoe802 if anyone wanted to know which useless moron I was talking about

[Jayne7755]

On Friday night I went to bed fine and do not know what happened.  All my life I have suffered with bad ears and this left ear was reconstructed about five years ago when they went in to insert new tubes and the ear fell apart in the doctor's hands.  When I woke up from surgery in my room, I had this wrapping around my ear, I thought I was Peter Rabbit for God's sake I did not know what had happened to me.  I was so sore and I just started to cry.  They told me what had happened and all I wanted to know was would I be able to hear again.  My hearing was not affected at all by the surgery.  In September of this year I got an earache and it was just terrible.  But it was not an earache like I ever had before, it was a pulsating that I had never experienced in my life.  I called the doctor and when I got to his office he sent me to Mass Eye and Ear to see a specialist and she right away punctured my eye drum to open the whole so it could drain, that is how bad my ear was infected.  She needed to perforate the ear drum to make it drain so that I would not loose my hearing because there was such a bad infection and it really was full of fluid.  I watched the procedure on the screen while she gave me the needle and everything.  Usually the neede hurt when I had this done before, but this time the needle was injected just by rubbing it onto your skin, no more injection site...I was loving it!  I am an old pro at ears I can tell you this.  I have had more tubes than the man has walked on the moon.  When doctors look in my ears they say oh my God your ears look just awful...I say it along with them and usually we laugh together.  I wish I could see what it looks like inside of them just once, because when they say that, it is pretty scarey to me to think, what are they seeing really?   Anyways, I saw the doctor today and I have a perforated eardrum my third since Septmeber and I began school in Septmeber after not going for thirty years, and just buried my best friend on Friday, and I just moved into my apartment in September.  My doctor told me that stress can bring on perforated ear infections after I told him that I looked this up on the internet.  This is the third earache I have had since September and moving into my new apartment and since beginning school and being so stressed.  I have constant ringing in my left ear so much that I cannot think or even concentrate in class or at my job sometimes.  It consumes my every living moment and I stare into space and it makes this awful noise in my head like a zzzzzzz sound all day real loud.  I just want to go to bed and sleep my life away so I won't have to hear it and I know that sounds awful but it is the way I feel because I feel so sick.  I hope someone else can relate.

[mommarini]

So glad to find I am not the only one!!  This is driving me crazy!  I describe it as sounding like morse code or fireworks in the distance. Started a couple of months ago.  Only in my left ear.  I have been battling MRSA for about six months and thought it was related to that.  Antibiotics seemed to end a long bout with it.  However it started up again today and I am presently on Doxycycline??  I am curious about the possible connection to an overactive immune system (suggested by snadge).  

As one person mentioned, if I put my finger in my ear it stops (until I take it out).  I went to an ENT who checked my ear and saw no signs of infection, wax build-up, etc.  I don't have sinus problems.  I would really like to know what is causing this.  I feel like if this goes on for very long they are going to have to check me into a psych hospital!!    

[jucap]

i have had this now for 6 weeks, can feel my heartbeat in my mouth, teeth and ears, if i put my teeth together it feels like they are rubbing against each other, recently had to lots of antibiotics for sinuses, but went back to gp to tell her about this and she said she didnt have a clue what it was and if it was tinnitus she couldnt do anything about it !!  I too grind my teeth at night and get ear ache due to this but have had this for years, just dont know what else to do now cos getting no help from the gp, should i go the dentist xx

[moramay123]

Thank you for posting this. I had a cervical fusion after a neck injury 19 years ago.  I  have tinnitus and recently noticed the vibrating sensation.  I have also lost the curve in my neck and have often suggested to my Dr.s that this may be related to my neck injury.  The more I read I am convinced the ear buzzing is a result of the trauma to my neck.  I shoud have an MRI of my inner year for peace of mind though.  Thanks again I'm glad you have some idea of what causes the buzzing.  At least your doctors are listening and acting on your concerns.

[mommarini]

I discussed this with a periodontist yesterday who has experience treating TMJ and he said he never heard of it.  It sounds like you have a lot going on besides the noise.  I don't hear a "heartbeat" - I think you may experiencing something different.  I think it is a good idea to have your TMJ treated especially since it is causing you pain!

[Philpritch]

PLEASE HELP, I have muscle spasm in my right ear for a year or so. It only happens to certain sounds such as some phone rings, cutlery on plates and glasses, beeps and many other things in day to day life. It is always in perfect time with the noise I hear that causes it, and driving me INSANE!  NO ENT knows what it is, but I feel so alone with it, I just want it to go away!! Anyone know of this????

[tammyleoral]

Thank you for your post...I was thinking I was CRAZY! I am so emotional with lack of sleep it's hard to type this. I'm seeing my Chiro - she is an amazing woman and although I don't always want to take her word for it she is typically correct. I will try all these things you suggested.

[strawberryshortcake01]

I have a similar problem. It started about a week ago. It all started after a week of taking Sudafed that contained PSEUDOEPHEDRINE that my doctor prescribed me. The Sudafed that I have taken before from a drug store didn't have it. But anyways I looked up it up on the internet and sure enough it has side effects( ringing, pulsing in the ears)! So I went to the doctors and she told me to stop taking it because I got the side effect and to wait 24 hours and it should go way.                                                                                                                                                                                                             It's been almost a week since I've stop taking it and yet I still get the pulsing! It's driving me crazy! It's an all day and all night thing for me, non stop! I've tried ear plugs and it doesn't help. Is there anyone out there that might know whats going on? I'm planning on seeing my doctor again in the next 2 days. Should I wait a little longer to see if it might do away? I haven't been getting enough sleep for a week now =(.

[IamSheShe]

If your still out there I have symptoms like your own. I often sit with my ill parent a couple of times a week and one of those is during a week night when my parent likes to watch TV during a breathing treatment therefore blasting the TV to like 55 so SHE can hear lol, anyway she is like 68 and hard of hearing and it litterally drives me crazy cause I have very sensitive senses thereby hurting my ears. Anyway, long story short I come home and after about 2.5 hours I experience the thumping though I'm not yet in bed cause I have to unwind after hours of being a caregiver anyway it usually lasts about 20 mins per episode kinda like the blasting of Wheel of Fortune lol. I have also experienced eye flickers I'm not sure if it is related or if it is Neurological but I do have problems with my neck and back, past whiplashes and herniated disks as seen at L4-L5, anyway like I said if you are still around I'd love tohear your take on this. Thank you for YOUR time

[Tinnitus]

I have this also, where I can help is (only my opinion not a doctor) that after suffering on and off from tinnitus (ringing or in my case screeching in ears) I have also now started suffering from pulsatile tinnitus which is related to blood flow issues. It is pulsatile tinnitus which causes a thumping almost heart beat sound in the ear. I must add the net is good for initial advice but you just never know where that advice is coming from or who is right or wrong. So the only sound advice I can ultimately give is both forms should be checked out by a qualified GP as they have the proper skills to deal with any health issues.

[tammyleoral]

Update to my own post - went to the dr. who recommended a hearing test. turns out to have moderate loss of hearing in the right ear. The noise has somewhat disapated however, since going to my Chiropractor who gave me exercises to align my torso. Amazing what a Chiro can do for one.  Side note - do not call the dr. to schedule an appointment telling them you have a noise in your head driving you crazy ;) they thought I was there for a mental head problem...the MA laughted till she cried, not that mental illness is a problem but you need to be careful what you say to the receptionist and how it can be taken.

[tammyleoral]

that line was supposed to read, not that mental illness is anything to laugh about...not is a problem! Sorry!

[megaemma54]

Hi There, i have had a vibrating in my right ear now for the 15yrs, it comes and goes and is louder sometimes than others.
The beat of it is irregular but constant and echos round my head!!
I have only just discovered that if i hummmm! it stops. Very strange.
I find putting cotton wool in my ears at night helps dull out the noise.
No doctor can figure out what this is at all, All sorts of things have gone through my mind, but all i know is its becoming very frequent now and much louder!!!
Just letting you know your not alone!! x

[megaemma54]

oh my god you are the only one who has mentioned the humming, i have suffered for over 20 years with this, and it has only just accured to me that humming and talking makes it stop, but as soon as i stop it comes right back, and loud!!!
I AGREE I THINK WE SHOULD ALL GET SOMETHING TOGEHTER!!
I cant cope anymore with this and anyone that does not experience this just can not sympathize enough!

There must be something that can stop it surely???????

[Sladdboy]

The drumming in my ears were ongoing for about a month for me. I'm a musician and I play the drums so I use these small hearing protection plugs to put in your ears. Anyway, I visited a doctor who gave some strong ear drops, he said I had some irritation inside my ears. I used the ear drops as prescribed and switched from small ear plugs to construction workers hearing protection (looks like big earphones). I also took out my earring in my left ear and the drumming stopped in that ear. Kind of saw a connection there and I took out my other earring in my right ear. Now the drumming is totally gone.
BUT, if I over exert my ears with music, noises or loud sounds, the drumming is right there to tell me it's too much and my ears wants some rest. It also seems to have a relation to stress/anxiety feelings. But the trick for me is to just relax, and when I say relax I mean to TRULY relax. Drop everything you're doing at the moment, lay down, empty your head, turn off the all sounds and music and preferably doze of for a moment. It's really effective.
It's been about a week since I started using the ear drops, but I think there's a lot of different factors that make your body react with strange symptoms (like drumming in ears). I believe it's not only the ear drops that has helped me but other things too, like not stressing out or not exposing my ears to too much sounds. Even taking my earrings out! I will keep taking care of my ears and myself in all aspects and with that I believe that the drumming won't be coming back.
The drumming in ear thing is not some mystical symptom that can't be cured. It's just one of your body's many ways to tell you that you're doing something wrong. Try finding out what it is and the solution may be vey simple. Take care / Simon

[coolt86]

My right ear makes the drumming noise too. But I find that its connected to things. Mostly when I wake up in the morning and my wife is moving around in bed, as soon as she moves my right ear pulses like a drum.

As soon as she leaves the bed it stops all together. I notices it the first time when my acupuncturist was working on me, same thing happend, when he moved around my right ear was drumming.

Keep notice when your ear is beating, it might be a spiritual connection?

[miksto]

I've had a mild form of tinnitus as long as I can remember.. mostly a sort of  shrill hissing sound, sometimes combined with a high pitched whistle.. I call it the sound of silence. It doesn't normally bother me too much... I'm used to it and try to think of it as a sort of 'friend'.

Recently however, I have developed the vibrating sound that a lot of people here are describing... a bit like a moth flying around somewhere inside my head, or the vibrations created by a heavy vehicle driving past. What I find interesting is the link people have made to muscle spasms. For several months before the ear vibrations set in I had this persistent and annoying twitch in my eye.. I've had these before but this time it was more frequent and intense. Anyway, that has now subsided only to be replaced by the ear thing, so I wonder whether the two are linked. I'm hoping the ear spasms will also subside with time, otherwise I  guess I will just have to get used to it as I have with those other sounds.

The other thing that struck me was that it may have been triggered by exposure to very cold water. I swim all year round in the sea, even when it drops close to freezing. The first time I experienced the vibrations in my ear was as I came out of the water after a January swim. I had been in for about half an hour without ear or head protection and was suddenly overcome by loud vibrations and a feeling of nausea. It's never been quite as loud again (I now keep my ears dry when I swim) but it has been with me off and on ever since, typically at night as others here describe.

I can also temporarily activate the effect, or something similar, by pressing on a spot just below my ear. Now, just need to find the off switch!

[Cincinnati_Guy]

I don't want to come off sounding like a conspiracy theorist...BUT...there sure are a lot of people experiencing this pulsating rumble in one ear. I know this is a medically oriented forum, BUT, I think it's also time to consider the possibility that the pulsating sound could be the result of other external causes like geological activity...what of all the RF emissions, sonar, radar, HAARP, broadband etc. IMHO, too many people are experiencing this odd set of symptoms. I too have heard it...a continuous WOO-WOO-WOO in one ear...at a rate of about one pulse per second. Do some internet research and you will find that individual people...and even cities (like Windsor, Ottawa in Canada) are being tormented by unexplained low-pitched rumbling.

[nyacoby]

It feels like my ear drum is vibrating to some bass sound, though of course it's all quiet in the room.  And yes, it happens most frequently when I go to sleep.   So I tried olive oil drops on the theory that this sound reminds me of water trapped in the ear after swimming.  Also, I've been reading here that antibiotics has helped but when the medication stopped the sounds came back.  That indicates that the drying effect of antibiotics helped.  Therefore I put 2 drops of olive oil and guess what?  It's gone.  

[MasonOH]

I developed an intermittent thumping sensation in my left ear soon after switching from decaffeinated coffee to regular coffee.  I drink at least 24 ounces a day. After reading some of the comments here, I switched back to decaf. Soon after, the thumping disappeared. I've had Tinnitus for more years than I care to think about but it's not severe.